Principal: Students stole 2 buses for joyrides

3 students charged

Three students were arrested after taking two buses on a joyride over the weekend, Laurens school officials confirmed Monday.

Laurens High School Principal Sonya Bryant told News 4 that the buses were stolen Saturday afternoon.

"We had some students who made poor decisions," Bryant said. "They took the buses on a joyride."

Bryant said the gates to the bus parking lot were left open because the band needed buses to take part in a couple of holiday parades.

Surveillance cameras caught the incident on tape and helped identify the students involved, Bryant said.

The students drove the first bus, returned it and then took the second bus, Bryant said.

"Our transportation director saw the bus on the road, knew that that was not right and...immediately contacted the (Laurens County) Sheriff's Office," Bryant said.

According to the incident report, the 14-year-old male driver told deputies he found the keys on the bus and drove it to a Dollar General store about two miles away. While there, deputies said the teen saw a girl he recognized from the school band, offered her a ride and drove her back to the high school.

One of the buses was slightly damaged while the student parked it, Bryant said.

"Thankfully, no one was hurt," Bryant said.

Bryant said a thorough review of the surveillance video revealed that a third student was involved.

Sheriff Ricky Chastain said the students face charges for motor vehicle theft.

"It's certainly a very serious for any young adult like that driving a vehicle of this nature," Chastain told WYFF. "It endangers the public as well as themselves."

Chastain said the incident will be reviewed by the Department of Juvenile Justice because all the students are minors.

"Anytime there are criminal charges related to a school incident, school discipline does follow as well," Bryant said.

Bryant said the incident serves as a lesson to all young people.

"Think through decisions. Realize the consequences. Realize how it impacts others around you," Bryant said.

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